File photo: Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Frequent traffic jams at Dhaula Kuan in Delhi in which Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari often gets caught, has made him sanction a study to find the reasons behind the problem plaguing several parts of the national capital.
"I bang my head... as I get stuck quite often" at Dhaula Kuan in South-West Delhi for 40-45 minutes while coming from or going to the airport, Mr Gadkari said in Lok Sabha.
Responding to a debate on amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, Mr Gadkari said he has asked the road research institutes to carry out the study on traffic jams and accident-prone areas in the national capital, the report of which will be submitted to the Delhi government.
Five lakh accidents take place annually in which 1.5 lakh people die, he said.
The Minister said he has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the purpose while rejecting suggestions that the study was not the mandate of the central government.
Mr Gadkari informed the House that NHAI has been asked to improve the engineering aspects of roads to reduce accidents.
For every accident, they will be held responsible, he added.